Jim Socci

My name is Jim Socci, I am 74 years old. I have a great wife Margret that has been running parts for me for many years.  Before there was UPS she drove all over the state chasing parts and also doing the Books.  In her spare time she raised 4 great kids’ three boys and a girl. We also have been married for over 50 years. I have been in the automotive field for 40 years, doing all types of repairs.

My favorite two things to work on were engines and automatic transmissions. My mechanic training started upon enlistment into the Air Force. I went to several military schools and worked in the repairing of the military equipment. After being discharged I worked for a Cadillac agency on the east coast, moved to Washington and worked for a Ford agency in Brewster, Washington before opening my own business in 1964. In 1966 I started building a Sprint Car for advertizing my auto shop. I did all my own fabrication and engines and even won a lot of races. In 1972 racers started to ask about building engines for them.

At the time there was North West Super Stock Association. I built engines for them until 1982. ASA and Nascar came to Washington and I built engines for those racers also. I was a crew chief for three teams and won four Championships in the Nascar North West tour. At one time my engines held the track record at many quarter mile tracks all across the west coast. In 1982 Thomason and Tradup Racing came to me and asked about building an engine for Bonneville Salt Flats for a streamliner. They said it was a long drag race, “That it is!” I had never built a drag engine before. Every engine was for circle tracks. I always liked a challenge so I said Yes. Thomason and Tradup Racing is the only team I am building engines for now. They have records at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Jim Socci

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